Something that I’ve had to figure out recently has been making clean and organized stems for mix engineers.

I searched the internet and found a really good video about exporting stems in Logic Pro which is at the bottom of this page, but I also listed out some step by step instructions that should help you a lot.

Before starting I bounced the song and named it my mix, so I could send it to the mixer as well, and they can hear basically what I want it to sound like.

Then, to export the actual stems do this:

(1) Click file >> alternatives >> new alternative >> name it something like (stems). Now your work is saved.

(2) Set the yellow cycle marker to cover your entire song beginning to end like this:

(3) Go through and re-name all the tracks so that they will make sense to anyone you send the stems to, like “DRUM LOOP” “KICK SAMPLE” above.

(4) Show all your hidden tracks and delete any tracks you aren’t using and don’t need.

(5) After it looks cleaned up and nice, click file >> export all tracks as audio files.

(6) Now pick your destination (I chose my google drive folder so I could just share the link with my mixer and they can download the whole file.)

(7) Choose an un-compressed format like WAVE, a high BIT DEPTH, choose “One File Per Channel Strip,” make sure you Bypass Effect Plug-ins, DON’T include Volume/Pan Automation, and use “Overload Protection Only.”

(8) Now click save and be patient as Logic does it’s magic.

(9) If you go to the destination file in your finder, you should see files something like this:

(10) Since I used Google Drive, my computer will sync it to the cloud then I can get the shareable link from the Google Drive folder and send it to my mix engineer. They’ll be able to download and drop all the files into their DAW.

The video below was very helpful and got me headed in the right direction. Check it out if you want. ++——->>

Thanks for reading this article on how to export stems in Logic Pro X. If you want me to cover anything else or have any questions, let me know in the comments.

These apps are the ones that I have found to be the most helpful in creating music. There’s many to choose from but I recommend these. Download these apps and experiment with the highly advanced tools that are available to us today.

1. Figure by Propellerhead
As far as actually making music, this one continually tops everyone’s list. It is incredibly easy to get into a beat, make it interesting, and even write a song.

2. Logic Remote
If you’re a logic user like me, then you absolutely have to get this app. Put your phone on the same wifi as your computer and you will instantly have control of your DAW from your phone. It’s really an awesome creation and you’ll love it if you find yourself in your closet trying to record vocals without an engineer’s help.

3. Loopy HD
Everyone loves a good looper and this is definitely the one you want. It’s been seen by millions being used by Jimmy Fallon on the Tonight Show as you can see below.

4. Cleartune
If you play an acoustic instrument of any kind, or you need a pitch pipe, then this app is a great choice. I’ve used it for years now and it has a great interface and works very well. I’m originally a fiddle player so I like a very precisely tuned instrument

5. Clockwork
You’re going to need a simple metronome if you plan on living in the music world so you better get one. This one I have used for a very long time and is very simple. You can easily tap out tempos and change your voicings. Simple and effective.

6. Audiobus
If you need to get your audio from Loopy HD into say Garage Band, you can use this app to route your signal digitally. This is very useful if you’re trying to do some unique things with your signal for live settings or for recording.

7. EasyBeats
This is a simple sequencer and beat making app that I use all the time. It’s incredibly simple to use but very powerful. Whenever you’re bored sitting on the train, pull this out and have some fun.

The “proper” way to double an instrument like a guitar or a vocal is to record it once, then go back and try and match it exactly with a new track. The soundwave should be almost the exact same as the first but just slightly different.

This slight difference will allow it to be percieved as a bigger and wider sound to the ear.

After you double it, pan one of the sounds all the way to the left and the other one all the way to the right. You can also vary the panning a bit depending on how you want it to sound. A lot of experimentation is good here.

If you can’t go back and record a second take for the double then there’s a workaround by doubling the exact waveform.

To do this, make a copy of the instrument and move the waveform forward or back by a few milliseconds. Watch out for phasing issues because it is the exact same waveform.

Some people think this method is tried and true and very legitimate so try it for yourself and see how it sounds.

A lot of people do this with vocals as well as guitars for big, huge wide sounds. If your mix is thin or lacking life, try this. This is a big Nashville trick..

I Want That Sound is a boutique drum sample retailer. They create live drum samples that you can drop into your own music.

The only pack that I’ve purchased so far is called the Organic pack. The Organic pack has inspired me immensely. After I bought the pack I started dropping wave loops into Logic and creating songs off of them.

This was a great process because the drums are simple, sound amazing and form a rock solid foundation to build on. I ended up writing 5 new songs within a week of purchasing.

I even got my first sample pack 50% off for filling out their survey.

After digging deeper into the company, I’ve found out how cool these guys are, they have even posted YouTube tutorials about layering their samples and using them creatively.

Check out the video below to see what can be done with a sample pack.

I actually learned about That Sound by a drummer friend of mine who was showing me Paul Mabury on Instagram. If you don’t know Paul, he’s the guy doing a lot of the actual drumming in these packs.

I’ve now had two pairs of clunky “studio” headphone monitors. I originally had the Shure $100 monitors, I forget their name. I used them for a long time but they were really uncomfortable for long periods.

Then I sold those and got the Sennheiser ones, same price point, and again, they hurt my head for long periods of time.

One day I realized that my headphones hurting my head was actually a huge bottle neck in my workflow and a real deterrent to me creating music.

I thought that I needed to have flat EQ headphones so that my mixes weren’t crazy bad if I had to mix with headphones throughout the workflow.

But then I realized that there won’t be a mix if I don’t make it through the initial creative phase.

So back then I was writing and creating music like any beginner does, without a process.

I never really thought of the whole thing as a process. I was just adding parts, mixing, recording, and doing whatever until I had a big blob of something that I thought was alright.

They keep me from trying to mix in general. Instead of mixing for hours and getting all distracted by sounds in the initial creation phase, I leave the mixing for later.

I just design sounds that sound good to my Bose headphones and I’ll adjust and change as needed when it’s time to mix. It’s not time to mix in the beginning, just make it sound good to your ears in that moment so that you can be creative.